Baby, I'm Your Light
by tanglingshadows
Summary: A few one-shots for Bethyl Smut Week. Most of which will be outtakes from my other fics.
1. Chapter 1

Losing My Mind

A Halo Outtake

This is the first in a few submissions for Bethyl Smut Week. If you have any prompts you'd like to see, let me know!

* * *

"Damn it, Beth," he muttered and pressed against her harder. "Ya gotta be quiet."

Her mouth was on his neck, and she was trying, he knew she was, but the little moans were getting louder. She had pulled him into this janitor's closet somewhere between C Block and the library. He hadn't been planning on this. He had some shit to do today outside before they went on a run, but he wasn't about to push her hands away and tell her no.

At the moment, he had her perched up on a low shelf, cleaning supplies littered the floor around them, as he kissed and licked across her chest. He unbuttoned her jeans and tugged them down and threw them behind him as he got to his knees and pulled her forward.

She didn't have his shoulder anymore to smother the noises she was making, and Daryl knew he was a matter of time before someone just happened to walk past and catch them in the act. His tongue circled her clit and his fingers pumped in and out, curling every so often, as she twisted her fingers into his hair and rode his mouth.

"I'm so close," she groaned and pulled him into her.

He could have died like this, and it wouldn't have bothered him one damn bit. When her legs started shaking, he sucked on her hard and her thighs closed around his ears and squeezed him tight. Finally, she was loose again and leaning back, trying to catch her breath.

She looked beyond beautiful in these moments. Beth was calm and relaxed. Her forehead lost those lines that seemed ever permanent. Daryl still wasn't too sure what he was doing, but he knew that taking this out of their cells and putting it into play around the prison was bigger than he was trying to keep it.

Truth was, Beth came to him, and she kept coming back. She would find him odd places in the prison where no one went and change those dark corners into really fucking good memories. Daryl stood up and tugged down his jeans. "Ya got somethin'?"

Beth nodded and pointed to her pants. She was still breathing a little heavy from what he had just done. He reached over and dug around in her pockets until he pulled out the condom she had probably stolen from Maggie.

He rolled it over his cock and thought to himself that he really needed to get some of their own. Otherwise, Maggie would catch on, and he didn't want to deal with that. Daryl only had time for one shit storm wrecking his life, and right now, it was Beth Greene and her flushed cheeks, wrapping her legs around his waist and letting his push himself inside her.

"Hard," she whispered to him. "It's been days." It had, but Daryl didn't like bruising her up in case someone saw. "Please," she begged as he thrust into her, shallowly.

"Don't wanna hurt ya," he said and gritted his teeth.

"You won't," she argued. Her ankles crossed on the small of his back and she pulled him forward. "I need it like this."

Daryl didn't hesitate any longer. He grabbed her hips, his fingers digging in enough to cause her to flinch then picked her up and carried her to the door. She was pressed against it and her mouth worked over the corded muscle of his neck as he worked her over his cock.

Before the turn, he had never really considered himself a strong man, but since this had all started, he was getting really good at picking her up and fucking her against walls and doors. They usually made less noise than the creaky springs of cell block mattresses.

Beth threw her head back on a particularly hard thrust and hit the door. The banging reverberated around the tiny room, and Daryl stopped, pushing all the way inside of her and working his fingers through her hair to make sure she was okay.

He almost started going at it again when he heard the voices move down the hall and toward them. It was Maggie and Carol. He froze, and Beth met his stare.

"Keep goin'" she mouthed. "Just be quiet, remember?"

There was no reason in the world why he nodded and pulled out, only to press right back inside her. It was pure stupidity on his part, but she looked at him with half-closed lids and swollen lips, and he was useless to anyone but her. If she told him to lay back on the floor and let her ride him like a fucking race horse, he would have done it without a second thought.

The slow movements made his breath catch. He could feel every single muscles inside her contracting against him. The voices passed by, never knowing what was going on behind the door, but just to have them that close, knowing they could have been caught seemed to up the ante a little.

"Ya want them to catch us?" He asked as he slid his hand down the middle of her chest.

"Yes," she whispered. Daryl knew she meant it, too. There was nothing more in this world that Beth wanted than to have her family know about him and her and them being together.

"Ain't gonna happened today," he muttered and pressed into her with a newfound strength.

A handful of thrusts later, her legs were shaking around his hips, and she was biting into his shoulder. "Harder," he grunted. "Leave a mark."

She did as she was told right as her orgasm hit. The duel sensation of pain and unbelievable pleasure made his knees give out, and he went to the floor as easily as he could, taking her with him.

Just like earlier when he thought about her being in top of him, the image came to life. Beth with her long blonde hair and her sweet, perky tits, put her hands on his chest and took over. The pushing down and swaying of her hair and chest made him take her hips in his hands and groan louder than he ever had before as he came inside her.

They were sweaty and sticky when it was all over, but that was usual for a Georgia summer in a prison with no air conditioner.

"I'll head out first," he told her after they were dressed. "I's supposed to be helpin' Rick a long time ago."

Beth leaned up on her toes and kissed him softly. "Ya got guard duty tonight?"

He nodded.

"I'll see ya then, I guess."

Daryl smiled a little then went to the door, looking back one last time before he left. He wasn't sure what to do with her, or even if he should do anything. Beth wanted this completely, and who was he to say no?


	2. Chapter 2

The Shot

Liquid Courage Outtake

* * *

Daryl's phone was his pride and joy some days. Beth laughed at him when he bought it off Oscar because he had never shown any interest in technology before. He knew she was right, but there was one thing he wanted to do that would require him to get with the program and move forward on the phone front.

He wanted the camera feature—the video ability.

It had been a long time ago that he had whispered to her in the dark that he wanted to take pictures of her, record them messing around, and Beth hadn't said no. Still, it was just mentioned once and never again. He thought about it a lot, though.

So, when Oscar offered him his used iPhone for cheap, he snatched it up and learned all about it. Most of the time he used it for the regular stuff like making a call or texting. He had some games he downloaded onto it for when he was bored, but his video collection filled up a good portion of its memory. As soon as he made the first one, he had downloaded an app that let him keep his videos locked away and private.

He leaned back against the pillows and unlocked the phone, shifting the screen over a page until his video hider was visible. Daryl missed Beth a whole fucking lot, and if it wasn't for the extra money he was going to get from going to Charleston and picking up this car for the shop, he would be home with her. Maybe making another video.

Money was tight, and between stressing over it and adjusting to having a new baby, things seemed a little tense.

Daryl shook his head, pushing that away. He had a long day of driving, he had called Beth, but she was so worn out that she was falling asleep on the phone. He might have been an asshole sometimes, but he wasn't about to make her waste precious sleeping time just to talk with him while he got off.

Without a second thought, he lifted his hips and tugged his sweatpants down to mid-thigh then tapped the play button on one of his favorites.

She was on her hands and knees, and he was kneeling behind her, palming her left ass cheek and spreading her open.

"Little wider." His voice was deep and sounded like he chained smoked for thirty years, which he practically had.

He always thought what they had was somehow wrong because of who he was and who she was, but he had to admit to himself that watching them now, it somehow made him harder. He knew how her soft skin felt under his calloused palm, and how sometimes there would be oil marks on her thighs from when he came in but didn't clean up good enough after work.

Daryl's eyes locked on the video as Beth scooted her knees wider and his hand made contact with her pussy. She groaned and dropped her head to the bed, her blonde hair cover her face completely, allowing him a whole body shot.

That was rule number one for them: No faces.

His phone could get lost or stolen, and the last thing he wanted was for her to end up on porn site.

The video changed angles and was pointed down at her pussy now. His fingers slowly pressing in and out. Daryl reached down and took his cock in his hand, squeezing it just a little to relieve some of the pressure. He wasn't about to start jerking it yet. The good shit hadn't even happened yet.

He watched as the video progressed. His fingers covered in a shiny coating of wetness, Beth's breathy moans as he started curling his fingers inside of her.

"I wanna lick your pussy," he said and Beth bucked back against his hand hard.

"Put down the phone and do it," she demanded.

"Nah," he said quietly. "This is gonna be a good one."

Beth whined and wiggled down on his hand. All at once, he pulled his fingers away and sat back up.

Daryl groaned on the bed at the video and her swollen, wet sex. He shifted again and this time, he started moving his hand up and down, twisting his fist a little around the head of his dick.

He closed his eyes against the pleasure for a split second and imagined it was Beth in the room with him. He could hear her moaning now and knew that the him in the video had finally pushed inside her. He kept his eyes closed and sat the phone beside him on the bed before he spit in his hand went back to stroking himself.

"Daryl," she gasped

The slapping of his skin on hers, the way his grunts turned damn near animalistic as he got closer and closer to coming. He imagined grabbing her hair and yanking her back, pushing her hair away from her face and looking into her eyes.

That was the downside to the videos. It was all body parts in motion, and it got him started, but usually it played as a soundtrack to his own imagination because there was nothing better than see Beth's face when she came, and none of the videos had that.

In his mind, his lips barely met hers, and he whispered against them, "Feel good, girl?"

She hummed, and he let go, forcing her down on the bed again. This time crushing his body against hers, laying her flat on her stomach, while he kept pressing into her. This way was tighter, and as she started to clench around his dick, he brought his mouth over her shoulder, sucking hard and nipping the skin there.

Her voice from the video broke through his vision. "Harder," she moaned. "Just a little harder."

The grunt that escaped his lips matched the one of the video, and his hips started lifting up to meet his hand. "Just like that," he mumbled and licked his lips, imagining her hands grasping the sheets of their bed and his hands covering hers.

All of him covering her.

The high-pitched moan made his balls tense up, and he knew what was coming next so he opened his eyes and grabbed the phone, blinking twice to focus on the screen.

Beth was still on all fours and the camera was pointed at his dick fucking her pussy fast and hard. His hand moved to match the rhythm on the screen, and he was getting so fucking close.

It started in her shoulders, and he watched as he body locked down as the breath got taken from her lungs, and she reached back and grabbed his free hand on her hip. Her ring glinted a little and that made him tense up, just waiting to blow.

She cursed and pushed her hips back against him twice with such force he had to shift his knees to get his balance then she dropped to her elbows and cried out against the bed.

Daryl's hand was moving fast now, his breath coming in pants, and he was so close. He was just waiting for this one little shot.

The video him gasped and stilled then pulled away just as fast, settling the frame on her pussy. The moment his cum started sliding out of her body and covering her wet lips, he lost it. He stilled and came in spurts over his stomach and some even got up on his chest.

"Fuck," he muttered and tried to catch his breath.

"God, that's fuckin' good," he had mumbled on the video, and he agreed with his video self.

The video ended right after that.

Daryl pushed his pants off and went to the bathroom so he could clean himself off then went back to the bed to go to sleep. He had to get up early and start the drive home, carrying that classic car on the back of a trailer.

It made him so damn nervous, but at the moment, he couldn't care less about the car or driving down the interstate hauling it. He was warm and his body wasn't tense anymore. Sleep came so damn easy after a night with Beth. Even one like he had just had.


	3. Chapter 3

Claim

Gasp & Ignite Outtake

Just a little reminder, the original one-shot was OOC, and this outtake will be, too.

* * *

They kept picking up new people, and Daryl didn't like it.

In fact, if someone didn't do something about the new recruits, he was going to bust someone's fucking nose.

This new guy had shown up a week ago, and he was one of those stupid bastards that couldn't take a hint. Beth smiled at everyone. He wasn't special. He kept trying to get closer and closer to her, though.

Daryl would come in from working on the fence, and there he was, sitting at the table with his lily white hands folded and grinning at Daryl's woman.

This was where he drew the line. Never in his life had he had nice things, and he sure as shit wasn't going to let some asshole slip in and think he was going to get his dick in Beth. If there was one thing that he still carried from being a Dixon, it was that they didn't share shit.

Beth rolled over in their little bunk and stretched against him.

"Good mornin', Mr. Dixon," she whispered. "What's got you scowlin' so early this mornin'?"

He turned his head to look at her. She was so fucking beautiful. It wasn't just physical beauty either. It was her heart. He would fight like hell to keep her.

"That's just my regular face, I guess."

Beth grinned and shifted her leg over his hips until she was sitting on him. His hands automatically held her in place above him.

"Now, that's a lie. I've seen ya grin. I've seen ya look absolutely lost when we're makin' love."

Those words made his heart pick up a little little, but that's what it was. Even when it was rough and hard, he had never loved anything like he loved Beth.

"It's nothin', baby girl. Just got a lot of shit to do today."

Her lips brushed over his, and she got off of him and went to pick up her clothes. "I know what ya mean. I've got Judith today."

They got dressed quietly, and when they reached the door, he pulled her in for a brief kiss.

"Be careful," she said against his mouth.

He hummed and pulled his crossbow higher on his shoulder. With a nod, he took off down the stairs and listened as Beth followed him. At the bottom, she went to Rick's cell, and he went out the side door.

More walkers had piled up on the fence overnight and several people were already down there trying to clear them out. Daryl picked up a piece of rebar and went to work right along with them. Around mid-morning, he went out the gate and into the woods to check his traps. There were two rabbits in the traps, and he bagged three squirrels with his bow. It would be good enough to provide a stew for everyone, and he planned on keeping two of the squirrels for himself and Beth.

It wasn't that he didn't shared his kills with everyone, but if he had the ability to give her more, he did.

Somewhere along the way, she became priority number one in his mind. That meant a lot of things. Taking better care of himself and being more careful on runs, making sure she was fed and full, looking after Hershel and even Maggie. The Greene family was now and extension of himself. If any of them were hurt, Beth would hurt, and that wasn't acceptable.

Daryl opened up the door and entered the cell block where he headed for the kitchen to drop off the game. He was almost to the hall when he heard Beth's voice up ahead. His ears perked up a little, and he listened as he walked closer, staying quiet as soon as he heard the masculine voice that followed hers.

"Maybe you could sing for me sometime?"

"Oh, I don't know about that. I usually only sing when Daddy asks me to," she answered.

Daryl turned the corner and saw them standing outside the kitchen door. Beth was leaning away, and the guy was leaning toward her, smiling that same smile that Daryl had seen on every rich prick hitting on a woman before the turn.

"Oh, c'mon, Beth. You're breaking my heart."

She shook her head. "Somethin' tells me you're gonna be just fine."

The guy put his hand on the wall against her head and tilted his face down. "Please?"

Beth turned her face and caught Daryl's eye. The guy's lips caught her cheek as she ducked out of the way. Once she was under his arm, he turned and looked to where she was walking. The moment he saw Daryl, he stood up straight and held his hands up.

"Daryl, don't do this," Beth whispered when she reached him. Her voice was full of panic.

He looked into Beth's eyes and nodded. Every muscle in his body was tensed and ready to beat the shit out of this man. He took a deep breath then tossed the game at him and asked, "What's your name?"

He shifted under Daryl's stare. "Drew."

Daryl grunted and turned around. "I'll see ya around, Drew."

"That sounded really bad, Daryl," Beth said as they walked away.

"I meant it to."

* * *

Once they were in their cell, he dropped his bow to the ground and immediately walked her back to the wall.

"What're ya doin'?" She asked as he moved his mouth down her neck.

Truthfully, he wanted to make her scream his name so loud that they heard her outside, but he said, "I'm gonna fuck ya," and kissed her roughly.

It didn't take him long to get her jeans off and his own belt unbuckled.

He pushed away from her and drug the mattress off the bottom bunk. As soon as one end was settled against the back wall, he pulled her down on the thin mattress beside him.

"Ya know that I wasn't gonna let him do anythin', right?" She was breathing heavy as his lips worked over her jaw.

"I trust you," he said against her skin.

"I was about to knee him in the balls," she reassured him. "Just like ya showed me."

Daryl gripped her chin in his hand and looked into her eyes. "I trust you with my life. I know you," he whispered, finally saying something that was important. "I's never worried you'd run off on me, girl. He should be worried about me, though."

She turned her head to find his lips, but he laid back. Immediately, she straddled his lap and dropped her lips to his, the force bruising. His tongue brushed against hers, and she pressed down against his dick. His slid his hands from her hair to her hips where he lifted her up and pulled her forward.

Beth settled her knees on either side of his head and one hand went to brace herself on the wall in front of her and the other tangled in his hair.

"Oh, please," she mumbled right before she looked down at him.

"Look at you," he said against her skin. "You this wet for me, girl?" There was no prettier sight than her over him like this. He lifted his head up and swiped at her with his tongue.

"Yes," she gasped. Her head fell forward, and she sat the rest of the way down onto his mouth.

Daryl held her hips tightly but let her set the motion as she rolled her lower body and rode his tongue. This was the way he liked it best. When he got to go down on her, he wanted her on his face. It wasn't that he wouldn't slide between her legs and put them over his shoulders, he loved giving her this power over him.

She was the one in control, and he was hers to do with as she pleased. It was directly opposite of the days she needed him to hold her close and circle his fingers around her slender throat.

"Oh, God, Daryl," she groaned softly. "That's so good, baby, so good."

That made him pick up his speed, spearing his tongue inside her then moving to suck on her clit. He could tell her moods by her words, much like she could tell his by the way his shoulders were set or his eyes narrowed. When she called him "baby", it meant she wanted him inside her as far as he could go, anyway she could get it, and she was feeling really lovey.

Beth reached back and grabbed his dick, stroking him for a second before pulling back and turning around. She pushed his jeans past his hips and settled over him. Her ass in the air, pussy just far enough away that he couldn't reach her, and enough space between their bodies that he could see her take him into her mouth.

"You were born to suck my dick," he mumbled and palmed her ass before pulling her back down to his mouth.

Her groans were muffled now and sent vibrations all the way down his shaft. He was so wet from her mouth that when she pulled back and took him in her hand, she slid over him with ease.

"Are we out of condoms?" She asked breathlessly.

He tensed under her. "Yeah," he whispered. "I fuckin' forgot."

"That's okay," she whispered and went back to licking his dick.

She got about two more good sucks before he pushed her off his face and sat up, leaning against the wall. "C'mere," he said and took her hand. Daryl pulled her over his lap and slipped right into her.

"What about-?"

His hands ran up her chest and palmed her breasts through her shirt. "Just ride me," he said. "When I get close, catch it with your mouth." He paused, tugging on her hair to get her to meet his eyes. "Not all of it. Let some fall on you lips. You look good with my come on ya."

She clenched around him as he spoke, and he tried to think of something else that was just as filthy to say to her, but failed. Her eyes were so soft, and she was staring at him like he was the entire world. It made his heart ache and fly all at once.

Beth's fingers curled into his hair, and she brought her hips down against his. Her breath was tickling his ear, and she was making little mewling sounds each time he thrust up against her. When he could feel her tensing, he took his hand and went between them, thumbing her clit until she was gasping out his name and pulling his hair.

When she was still fluttering around him, he pushed her back again, and wrapped his hands into her hair, forcing her down. She didn't hesitate to suck him deep into her mouth, bobbing and making noises around him.

"Fuckin' hell, girl. Listen to ya," he muttered. "Ya like it."

He felt his balls tingle and he pressed her down hard, making her choke a little before letting her up far enough to take the cum that shot into her mouth without gagging. Beth moved back slightly and took the head of his dick where he was still leaking and rubbed it along her bottom lip then looked up at him with heavy lidded eyes.

"Yes, fuck," he moaned. "Just like that, Beth."

She brought her head back down and licked him a little longer before sitting back on her heels and wiping her lips with her fingers. Beth smiled at him. "That worked out well."

"Always goes good."

Beth moved forward and curled up on his chest. "Let's nap for a bit."

He hummed and wrapped his arm around her, then pulled their blanket to cover them up from the floor next to them.

"For a little while."

* * *

Beth woke up alone, and she was wearing one of Daryl's button up shirts. If he left before her, he always made sure he was partially dressed, and she appreciated that. It was just a small way that Daryl took care of her after. She grinned and pull it up to her nose to smell him.

It was leather and cigarettes along with wet earth.

She looked around their little room and sighed happily. This was everything she had ever wanted.

Beth finished dressing and went downstairs to help with anything in the kitchen since Rick had decided to keep Judith that day, and when she heard the loud yelling from outside, she immediately took out her knife and ran for the door.

There were no walkers or men threatening the prison gates.

No, it was nothing like that. She stared wide-eyed as Daryl stood over a very bruised and bloody Drew while Rick tried to pull him away.

"We clear?" He asked. His tone was like that earlier in the hall-cold and detached.

"Yes," Drew said and tried to roll over and stand up.

"We better be." Daryl's words were final, and he shrugged Rick off. As soon as he turned to the door he saw her. He didn't look sorry or even a little guilty. He just shrugged.

He walked past her. "He ain't gonna bother ya again."

"I could've handled it. He's harmless."

Daryl stopped and took two steps back then leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Seein' that earlier ain't somethin' I'm gonna see again. Ya wouldn't like it if it were tha other way around."

She nodded, knowing he was right. Over the last few weeks, they moved beyond just being together, and their relationship had turned into possession. It wasn't wrong or even rooted in controlling. It was founded in being afraid of losing the other.

Had another woman came onto Daryl the way Drew had been coming onto her, she would have done something, too. It was like the old rules were gone, and you protected your significant other the way you protected something equally precious like food or water.

No one stole, no one got too close. Be wary of everyone.

He was hers, and she was his.

And, sometimes, examples needed to be made.


	4. Chapter 4

Lessons

This is not from any fic. It's just something that popped into my head.

I hope you like it! It's my last official submission for Bethyl Smut Week.

* * *

Beth had a crush on him for a long time. She didn't act on it, though. He would think she was too young and probably wasn't even on his radar at all besides being another mouth to feed.

Now though, they were at the prison and settled. She was taking care of Judith and had a place.

Daryl would look her way a little longer each day or at least, she thought so. She tried to catch his eye, and she wouldn't deny it if someone asked.

In fact, Maggie had made a snarky comment about how she was making heart eyes his way, and Beth just smiled.

"Who wouldn't?" She asked and went about folding up Judith's freshly clean clothes.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Huh," her sister said. "Get it, Bethy."

"Oh, I plan to try," Beth admitted.

That was a lot harder than she had anticipated, though. Daryl was always busy, either on runs or out hunting. So, she needed an excuse to get close to him since mooning over him as he ate on his perch wasn't going to cut it.

Beth knew he was looking at her, too. He was just a lot less obvious about it.

"Daddy," she said as they sat down for dinner.

"Yes?" He asked and turned to face her. Hershel Greene was a good man and great father, but he wasn't as observant as he thought he was when it came to his youngest.

"I'd like to learn to hunt so I can help Daryl. Do you think he'd teach me?"

Hershel eyed her for a moment then nodded. "Doesn't hurt to ask."

Beth smiled. "You're right! I think I'll go up and talk to him now."

She picked up her bowl of stew and walked up the stairs that led to the second landing of cells, and Daryl's sleeping area.

"Hey," she said with a small smile.

He grunted and kept eating. His eyes never left his food.

Beth sat beside him and cleared her throat. "I want ya to teach me how to hunt and track."

That got his attention, and he turn his head to face her. "What?" He asked with his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I want ya to teach me how to hunt," she said again, slower this time.

"Why?"

It was the most he had ever spoken to her while meeting her gaze, and it made her a little nervous. He was intimidating and direct. And the way he was looking at her now made her wonder if she were imagining the longing glances on his part.

"You shouldn't have to do everythin' on your own," she said. "Besides, I'm real quiet and I learn fast."

Daryl moved his spoon around his bowl and scrunched up his forehead. He looked like he was thinking so hard, and she wanted to tell him to stop. Her mind screamed at him to say yes and look at her like he had earlier that day.

 _Please, God, don't let this be one-sided._

"Okay," he said quietly. "We'll start tomorrow mornin'."

She couldn't stop the huge smile that crossed her face. "Great!" Beth bumped his shoulder with hers, and he tensed up a little. "I'm really excited."

"'S just huntin'. Ain't nothin' special."

"Will ya teach me to shoot your bow?"

He looked at her from the corner of his eye and shrugged. "You're gonna have to use somethin'. Maybe if ya get any good, we'll get ya one of your own someday."

"Maybe so." Beth leaned her arms on her knees and grinned at him.

She saw his lips quirk up slightly, but he squashed it just as fast as it appeared.

There was definitely something there.

* * *

Daryl spent a good portion of the following morning showing her how to aim his bow in the prison yard before taking her out to check the snares. They were empty, so he took them all down and moved them a little bit further out.

She watched him as he tied the knots and gave her detailed instructions. The second snare she had to tie herself, but failed miserably.

"It's okay. Can't always get it on the first try."

"It's a lot harder than you make it look," she admitted as she untied a portion of the rope.

"I've had years of practice."

"I know," she muttered then looked up at him. "I'm good at everythin', though."

Her words hung in the air between them then she looked at their position and flushed. She was kneeling in front of him and he was eye level with his zipper.

Daryl backed away and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I'll show ya some tracks," he mumbled and walked away as quickly as he could.

"Yeah, okay." She stood up and dusted off her jeans.

The tension between them lasted until they got back to the prison and went their separate ways. He agreed to meet with her again the next day, so at least there was that to look forward to.

* * *

The next few days followed the course of the first, minus the innuendo.

She learned quickly, just like she told him she would, and by the the end of the first week, she was tying snares on her own and could properly identify rabbit and walker tracks.

"You're doin' good," he said as she finished the last snare of the day. "Next, I'll teach ya how to skin 'em." Beth wrinkled her nose, and he just laughed. "Ya need to learn. Ya might not always have me around."

"Don't say that," she said with a shake of her head. "You're gonna be the last man standin' I bet."

"Don't say that," he whispered her words back at her.

"Why? It's the truth." She looked at him confused.

"Yeah, 'cause losin' everyone and bein' alone's a good thing?"

Beth sucked in a quick breath. "I wasn't thinkin' like that. I just meant you've got more of a chance to survive than anyone. You're strong and capable. It's one of the reasons I wanted to learn this from you. I want to be able to take of myself if need be."

Daryl was staring at the ground, clutching a bolt in his hands. "What's the other reason?" He asked.

The air was sucked from her lungs, and she watched his knuckles turn white. "I think you know that."

He raised his head slowly, and Beth forced herself not to blink or look away. They stood there in silence for several beats before he said, "I don't understand."

"Understand what?" She asked cautiously.

"Why you want this."

"I think you're the best man I've ever met," she said and took a few steps towards him. "A woman would be crazy not to see that."

"Girl, I'm too old for ya." He shook his head and backed away. "Ya deserve a lot better than me."

"Daryl?" Her voice was solid, and he looked back up at her. "I like you. I'd like to get to know you better, and I'd like to kiss you right now." He stood stock still, and Beth asked, "Can I kiss you?"

The bolt he had been holding in his hands fell to the ground, and he moved toward her. "I don't know about this," he whispered. "Out here's different from in there."

Beth smiled at him and watched as he eyes widened a little and settled on her lips. "It doesn't have to be," she said and slowly popped up on her toes and brushed her lips with his. His hands went to her hips and he held her steady as he kissed her back.

It wasn't fireworks and sparks, but a slow and steady burn that built up between them and for a few minutes, the world was just them.

* * *

During their time in the prison, he would sit beside her during meals. Most people figured it was because they had grown close due to their hunting, but she knew that her sister and Carol knew better. Beth saw the sly smiles they sent her way and little winks when Daryl was looking at his food.

Apparently, the group was on board with this relationship, and the way it seemed to bring Daryl a little more peace than he had before and give Beth a bit more strength and sure-footing. They went out every morning, and by lunch, they returned. Most of the time they'd have something to offer the group, but some days they weren't lucky.

He taught her a lot and talked even more. He gave her tips and hints, little secrets that he had learned all on his own. The more time they spent outside the fence, the more comfortable he was with small touches on her hand or back. Their kisses grew less tentative and more passionate. It never went further than that, though.

One day came, a few weeks after they started, that Daryl told her that he was going on a run, and that she was going to check the snares on her own the next morning.

"Remember," he said as they reached the tree line. "Listen, be quiet, and don't take any risks. The object is—"

"Bring back food and keep our people alive. If we're dead, who's gonna do that?"

"Exactly." He stopped and took her hand. "Be safe out there." He squeezed her fingers. "I'll prolly worry about ya."

Beth nodded. "And I'll worry about you, too."

The corner of his lip turned up. "Ain't we just too fuckin' sweet."

"Like a damn romance novel or somethin'."

Daryl snorted and dropped her hand. "Let's get on back. Gotta skin these before we take 'em to Carol." He poked her side. "You're up, Greene."

She groaned and leaned her shoulder into him as they walked. "The things I do for you."

He laughed quietly, and Beth giggled, too, at that small victory.

* * *

Being out in the woods on her own was unsettling.

Every time a twig would snap, she'd look all around before talking herself back down. Both snares were empty, but she straightened them back up and hid them a little better before starting on her way back to the prison. Without Daryl, she had no bow, only a gun she would use as an emergency weapon and a knife to deal with any walker that got too close.

She had almost made it back to the tree line when she heard the overwhelming sound of a herd behind her. Beth could see them from the trees several hundred yards back and they were moving fast. Without a second thought she ran out in the clearing and shot her gun into the forest behind her.

The person in the guard tower yelled, "What's wrong?"

"It's a herd! Get everyone inside and lock it all up!"

Maggie popped out from the bottom door of the tower. "Run, Beth! You can make it!"

"No! They'll follow me!"

She turned and ran back into the trees, trying to shut off her sister's panicked screams. Beth ran toward the herd a little before taking off parallel to them, firing her gun a long the way. Once a good portion of them stumbled after her, she lowered her weapon and sprinted until she found a tree with a low enough branch she could climb.

She didn't stop in the middle of the tree, she climbed almost to the top, curling herself up as small as she could without losing her grip on the limb. It felt like hours as the herd passed under her tree, and during that time, it started raining.

This was good. Daryl taught her that rain covered up scents, and the last thing she needed was some stragglers hanging around her perch because they had caught a whiff of smelly, needed a shower Beth Greene.

In a way, the rain was nice. It was warm out, so she wasn't shivering all that bad, and the water washed away a lot of the dirt from her skin and hair.

When the last of the walkers had wandered out of sight, she started slowly down the tree. She jumped from the bottom branch and started making her way back to the prison. Beth figured she was nearly halfway there then Daryl came running out from behind a tree.

He stared at her for a beat before crossing the distance and taking her in his arms and pressing her to him.

"The one time I leave ya on your own," he muttered. "Gave me a fuckin' heart attack, girl."

Beth shrugged. "You don't need to worry about me. I learned from the best."

Daryl stood over her breathing heavy and his eyes wide and scared. He squeezed his eyes shut then leaned forward and planted his lips on hers as he backed her into a tree. The bark scratched her through her shirt, but she didn't mind. His hands were in her hair tugging, and his lips were slanted over hers. returning her kiss with just as much force as she was giving.

She was tempted to wrap a leg around his hip when he let her go.

"Tomorrow, you're goin' on a run with me," he said in that no nonsense voice of his.

"Okay. It'll be good to get out for a little while. I don't think I've left the prison or these woods since I got here."

"I know," he said quietly. "Never wanted ya to."

"Why? I could've been good back up."

Daryl sighed. "I—Beth, you're special here. To a lot of people. Riskin' your life is a last resort."

Beth scoffed. "Why? I get it. I'm not like Maggie or Carol or Michonne, but I've made it, Daryl! I can handle myself. I'm not just another dead girl. I can be useful for things other than babysittin'."

"You don't get it," he said and took off walking.

"I don't get what?" She demanded and sped after him.

Daryl stopped and shook his head. "Ya've got a job to do, Beth, and it's not just babysittin'. Ya know one of the reasons I took ya on?" She shook her heard. "Shit goes down? Who's gonna have that baby with 'em? Ya needed to learn all this to take care of both of y'all."

Beth nodded and realized just how important these lessons were. Not just for the feeding of the prison now or helping Daryl carry the load, but for Judith if the prison ever fell.

"What's the other reason?" She asked him the same question he once asked her.

Daryl smirked just a little. "I think ya know the answer to that." Beth smiled and looked away, heat filling her cheeks. "Ya still want this?"

"Yes," she answered softly. "I want all of you."

This time the tips of Daryl's ears turned red, but he nodded anyway. "Let's get ya back. Don't want your daddy worryin' no more."

They walked back through the woods, hand in hand. This time when they broke the tree line, he didn't let go.

* * *

The car was a tight squeeze, but she didn't care one bit. It had taken them weeks to get to this point, and she wasn't about to let something as trivial as a steering wheel pressing into her bottom stop her from straddling Daryl's lap while he sat in the driver's seat of the car.

It was supposed to be a simple run. Just to the pharmacy and the grocery store to look for formula for Judith, and any other item that she thought the baby would need. That took all of thirty minutes before they were back on the road to the prison. Half a mile away, he pulled off the road and into the woods a little ways before he pulled her over to him.

"Like this," he mumbled against her lips.

Beth nodded and went to work unbuckling his belt and trying to shift his jeans down his thighs. "What if someone sees? She asked.

"No one's here but us," he told her before tugging her toward him and kissing her deeply. "Just me and you, girl."

Her jeans went next, and when she threw her leg back over his hip, her knee hit the door, and she cursed under her breath.

"Got a mouth on ya, huh?" He laughed quietly and picked her up.

She wasn't ready, not by any means, so he sucked his fingers into his mouth, drenching them with saliva then rubbed her sex a few times before pumping his shaft. Beth placed her hands on his shoulders as he lowered her over him, groaning as he did so.

It stung a little, but she just turned her face into his neck and bit down softly. Once he got to moving, the feelings spread again, and she was tingling from head to toe.

"Harder," she begged him, but there was only so much space in the car. "Hold me tighter."

That was an easy one to accomplish. His grip on her hips turned from guiding to bruising, and she moaned his name as he brought her down over him in fast strokes.

"I can't last like this," he said in a gasp. "It's been too long."

"I don't care," she whispered. "It's okay."

A few quick thrusts later, he was stilling against her, his face in her neck as he panted her name into her skin. She shivered and played with the hair on his neck as he caught his breath. Her body still reeling from how quickly it had taken place.

"Why now?" She asked softly.

"Just didn't wanna wait. Don't think we get second chances anymore."

Beth hummed against his shoulder then moved off of him as sticky, white liquid ran down the inside of her thighs. He took his rag from his pocket and wiped it off of her.

"I'm sorry it wasn't good for ya," he said in an almost shy voice.

"No, it was really good," she argued.

"Ya don't gotta lie."

"If ya feel so bad about it, next time, you can set the bar higher."

Daryl gave a gruff laugh and pulled her closer to him. "Oh, trust me, I will."


End file.
